Sleep Paralysis Informative Speech Outline
Informative Speech
Intro: How many of you have ever woken up unable to move? You were afraid but unable to say anything or even call for help. You’re left feeling paralyzed and seeing and hearing things that appear real, but in reality those things aren’t even there. Every night you lay in bed dreading about whether it’s going to happen to you again. If any of you have experienced situations such as the ones I have described you may suffer from a condition called isolated sleep paralysis (ISP). In this presentation I will discuss what sleep paralysis is, how you get sleep paralysis, and how you cope with sleep paralysis.
Main Point 1: What is sleep paralysis? ISP is a transition state between wakefulness and rest that is characterized …show more content…
by muscle weakness. This condition is thought to be a result of disrupted rapid eye movement (REM) that occurs during the dream stage of sleep. During REM sleep complete muscle paralysis sets in. Our body basically paralyzes itself when we are in REM sleep so that we don’t ‘act’ out our dreams. The disruption between wakefulness and rest that causes sleep paralysis can occur when falling asleep and waking from sleep. Many people who suffer from sleep paralysis experience visual and auditory hallucinations such as the sensation of being touched and dragged, hearing voices or other noises in the room, and even seeing the faces of people at the bedside. Most people have reported that they feel the sense of an evil presence in the room when having these hallucinations.
Main Point 2: How do you get sleep paralysis? Sleep paralysis is usually thought to be associated with another sleeping disorder. However, in most cases the condition runs in families and is triggered by certain lifestyle choices: lack of sleep, a changing sleep schedule, mental illness, the use of certain medications, substance abuse. Around forty percent of all people will experience sleep paralysis at least once in their lifetime and twenty-eight percent of college students were found to have at least one episode of sleep paralysis.
Main Point 3: How do you cope with sleep paralysis?
First, learn to recognize the symptoms. Although sleep paralysis can affect you in many different ways there are some commonalities that people experience such as fear, loss of breath, inability to move, etc. Second, focus on body movement. Most people find they are able to move their fingers and toes when experiencing sleep paralysis, which allows them to return to a more wakeful state. Third, focus on breathing. Slow inhalations and exhalations can help someone regain control during a sleep paralysis episode. Last, imagine yourself moving.
Main Point 4: Other ways to cope with sleep paralysis include actually treating the symptoms. Sleep paralysis usually happens when the sleeper enters REM sleep. When a person is sleep deprived they arrive at this stage of sleep more quickly, therefore maintaining a healthy, consistent sleep pattern will help reduce the chances of experiencing sleep paralysis episodes. Other methods to treat ISP include exercising regularly, eating healthy, relaxation, and consulting with a doctor.
Conclusion: Sleep paralysis is a terrifying normal phenomenon that affects millions of people through out the world. Understanding sleep paralysis by recognizing its symptoms, and learning how to cope with it is necessary to prevent the condition from controlling your
life.
References:
Association for Psychological Science (2013, March 4). What predicts distress after episodes of sleep paralysis?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved
Takeuchi T, Fukada K, Sasaki Y, et al. Factors related to the occurrence of isolated sleep paralysis elicited during a multiphasic sleep-wake schedule. Sleep. 2002;25:89–96.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120712/Powerful-brain-chemical-systems-work-together-to-paralyze-skeletal-muscles-during-REM-sleep.aspx
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111109/Sleep-paralysis-more-frequent-among-students-and-psychiatric-patients.aspx?page=2
Intro: How many of you have ever woken up unable to move? You were afraid but unable to say anything or even call for help. You’re left feeling paralyzed and seeing and hearing things that appear real, but in reality those things aren’t even there. Every night you lay in bed dreading about whether it’s going to happen to you again. If any of you have experienced situations such as the ones I have described you may suffer from a condition called isolated sleep paralysis (ISP). In this presentation I will discuss what sleep paralysis is, how you get sleep paralysis, and how you cope with sleep paralysis.
Main Point 1: What is sleep paralysis? ISP is a transition state between wakefulness and rest that is characterized …show more content…
by muscle weakness. This condition is thought to be a result of disrupted rapid eye movement (REM) that occurs during the dream stage of sleep. During REM sleep complete muscle paralysis sets in. Our body basically paralyzes itself when we are in REM sleep so that we don’t ‘act’ out our dreams. The disruption between wakefulness and rest that causes sleep paralysis can occur when falling asleep and waking from sleep. Many people who suffer from sleep paralysis experience visual and auditory hallucinations such as the sensation of being touched and dragged, hearing voices or other noises in the room, and even seeing the faces of people at the bedside. Most people have reported that they feel the sense of an evil presence in the room when having these hallucinations.
Main Point 2: How do you get sleep paralysis? Sleep paralysis is usually thought to be associated with another sleeping disorder. However, in most cases the condition runs in families and is triggered by certain lifestyle choices: lack of sleep, a changing sleep schedule, mental illness, the use of certain medications, substance abuse. Around forty percent of all people will experience sleep paralysis at least once in their lifetime and twenty-eight percent of college students were found to have at least one episode of sleep paralysis.
Main Point 3: How do you cope with sleep paralysis?
First, learn to recognize the symptoms. Although sleep paralysis can affect you in many different ways there are some commonalities that people experience such as fear, loss of breath, inability to move, etc. Second, focus on body movement. Most people find they are able to move their fingers and toes when experiencing sleep paralysis, which allows them to return to a more wakeful state. Third, focus on breathing. Slow inhalations and exhalations can help someone regain control during a sleep paralysis episode. Last, imagine yourself moving.
Main Point 4: Other ways to cope with sleep paralysis include actually treating the symptoms. Sleep paralysis usually happens when the sleeper enters REM sleep. When a person is sleep deprived they arrive at this stage of sleep more quickly, therefore maintaining a healthy, consistent sleep pattern will help reduce the chances of experiencing sleep paralysis episodes. Other methods to treat ISP include exercising regularly, eating healthy, relaxation, and consulting with a doctor.
Conclusion: Sleep paralysis is a terrifying normal phenomenon that affects millions of people through out the world. Understanding sleep paralysis by recognizing its symptoms, and learning how to cope with it is necessary to prevent the condition from controlling your
life.
References:
Association for Psychological Science (2013, March 4). What predicts distress after episodes of sleep paralysis?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved
Takeuchi T, Fukada K, Sasaki Y, et al. Factors related to the occurrence of isolated sleep paralysis elicited during a multiphasic sleep-wake schedule. Sleep. 2002;25:89–96.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120712/Powerful-brain-chemical-systems-work-together-to-paralyze-skeletal-muscles-during-REM-sleep.aspx
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20111109/Sleep-paralysis-more-frequent-among-students-and-psychiatric-patients.aspx?page=2